Guardian
by forthrightly
Summary: COMPLETE. Chihiro spends a long, hot summer in a tiny seaside community, minding an old auntie's store, but a legend whispered by locals leads the young woman on a quest of rediscovery. A small story with small chapters.
1. Fisherman's Tale

**Story Summary: **Chihiro spends a long, hot summer in a tiny seaside community, minding an old auntie's store, but a legend whispered by locals leads the young woman on a quest of rediscovery.

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one whose adventure is just beginning. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

**Author's Note: **This will be a story in 'bits and pieces', with most chapters written for the friendly drabble competition at the Live Journal community **Fanfic Bakeoff**. Since entries at that community cannot exceed 300 words, expect short chapters. Yes, it might be nice if the installments were longer... but I think you'll find they don't need to be in order to get the job done. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 1: Fisherman's Tale**

When Chihiro was ten, she grew up a little, and as the years went by, that trend continued. However, leaving girlhood behind didn't necessitate the casting off of youthful fancies. Her parents had to acknowledge that their daughter was just a little... well, _odd_.

"Who are you talking to, dear?" her mother inquired.

"Did you know the chimney's full of soot?"

"I've been meaning to have that cleaned."

"Oh, no!" Chihiro protested. "Leave it, please? It's friendlier this way."

When she graduated, they weren't surprised that she showed no interest in university. Girls who whispered secrets to soot balls were hardly suited to the rigors of normalcy. Instead, they searched for someplace she could be useful and found an auntie needing live-in help.

"She's getting on in years, so you'll be doing most everything," her father warned.

"I'm not afraid of work."

"She lives in a fishing village; you'll take the train right to the sea."

"Wouldn't it be nice if it kept going?" Chihiro asked dreamily.

"Down the coast?"

"Across the water."

Which is how she came to live with Obachan in the tiny apartment over her market. Every morning, Chihiro picked over bushels of fresh produce while the owner sat behind the register, chatting with regulars like Gen-jiji. The eccentric old fisherman spied omens at every turn, and when he brought the catch of the day to trade for new potatoes, he also carried dire tales of sea monsters who swallowed rain clouds. "Which explains this drought!" he declared, authoritatively thumping the counter. Chihiro only listened with half an ear until she heard, "...during storms, twisting through the sky like a white ribbon."

Later, she asked, "What ribbon was Gen-jiji talking about?"

Obachan tutted pityingly. "You wouldn't _know_, now, would you? Our cove is home to a dragon."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for February 2010—Catch. Posted on February 1, 2010. 300 words.


	2. Sentinel

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who remembers well. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 2: Sentinel**

In a village where everyone's stock and trade came from the sea, Obachan cornered the produce market. Work began early, with the rattle of a farm-truck pulling up to their back door, but by mid-afternoon, the shopkeeper shut her doors, setting Chihiro free until dinnertime. That's when the young woman made her daily pilgrimage to the lookout point on the bluffs above the cove. A solitary pine stood beside the dusty track of a road; according to Obachan, it was known as the Lonely Pine because it was set apart from the nearby woods. Chihiro didn't think the name fit. "You're not _excluded_ from the forest; you're standing guard over its entrance."

Tucked against the base of the ancient tree was a small shrine, and Chihiro placed a peach on its weathered base before settling in the shade. Salt-tanged breezes buffeted hot, sticky skin, and she opened her water bottle; sipping slowly, she gazed seaward and let her thoughts drift backwards. Lin, Kamajii, Yubaba, Zeniba—whenever she'd faced a particularly difficult challenge, their voices echoed in her mind, urging her to look smart and finish what she started. Zeniba's gift was her treasure, for the purple hair tie proved that everything had been real. She touched the woven band catching back her hair; it still looked new, even after ten years of constant use.

Dearest to her heart were memories of Haku. His kindness had been her salvation, just as she had become his. "They say this cove is home to a dragon," she informed a tiny tuft of a tree taking root beside its mother. As usual, Chihiro poured the last of her water around the seedling. "I wonder if it's true."

"Oh, it is," replied a woman's voice from somewhere above her. "Would you like to hear his story?"

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for February 2010—Catch. Posted on February 17, 2010. 300 words.


	3. Forest Spirit

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who returns a kindness. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 3: Forest Spirit**

The woman had a young face and old eyes, and she looked quite comfortable on the broad limb, though she was hardly dressed for tree-climbing. An elegant green kimono fell in rich folds, and a wreath of pine cones crowned tangled curls. "Since you've shown kindness to my child, I'll tell you about your dragon," she coyly offered.

Chihiro glanced at the seedling she'd faithfully watered. "You're a tree spirit?"

"And _you_ are a woman who was once a child. I remember you, Sen."

"The bathhouse?" she asked breathlessly.

The tree spirit tilted her head and playfully swung one foot. "I've been to Yubaba's."

"I'm Chihiro... ma'am?"

"A name is precious and _not_ to be offered lightly," the tree spirit chided. However, she tapped her chin and answered, "You may call me Kodama."

"And there's _really_ a dragon?"

"He's a displaced river spirit... but you knew that, didn't you?"

"Haku," she whispered.

"Mm-hmm," confirmed Kodama. "Haku-sama was set free, and he left Yubaba's."

"He remembered his name," Chihiro supplied with a smile.

"But things didn't go well."

Her eyes widened in dismay. "He said he would be fine!"

"There's little use in a name if there's no longer a place for it; Haku-sama is free, but he's a guardian with nothing to protect." Pointing towards the cove, she continued, "That's where the Kohaku River once flowed into the sea. A trickle remained, but because of the drought, the riverbed he clings to is dry. He's sleeping."

"People have seen him, though," Chihiro pointed out. "They tell stories about him."

"During heavy storms, when the river stones are covered by the run-off, the dragon awakens and rises into the sky."

"Can _I_ see him?"

Kodama's eyes sparkled, and she replied, "Perhaps... if you follow the path which the river left behind."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for March 2010—Tangle. Posted on March 21, 2010. 300 words. For what it's worth, a _kodama_ is 'a tree spirit'... like, literally.


	4. Familiar Footsteps

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who is weary with waiting. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 4: Familiar Footsteps**

"Come with me?"

Kodama slipped to her side. "My place is here, but... there _are_ ways." She dropped a small pine cone into Chihiro's hand. "Keep this close, and _I _will be as well."

"Where will I find him?"

"Take this road into my wood... straight on until I tell you to turn."

With a nod, Chihiro hurried towards the forest; at the verge, she turned to wave, but the tree spirit had disappeared. In spite of the heat, her skin prickled with gooseflesh. _Will he recognize me? _Excitement drove her forward until she was running down the dusty track.

"_Here_! This is a good place!"

Chihiro stumbled to a halt. "Kodama?"

"Who _else_?" her guide replied with a touch of sarcasm. "Down into that gully, then seaward."

She plucked the pine cone from her pocket and inspected it more closely. "Can you see me?"

"Well enough to know you're dawdling," snapped Kodama.

"Oh! Right!" Wasting no more time, Chihiro waded through a tangle of ferns and scrabbled down a steep slope, to stand on the wide, rock-strewn bed of what was once a proud river. _Haku, I'm coming!_

* * *

In a cave by the sea, a dragon roused slightly. _Has the rain finally come?_ A faraway patter called to him, stirring his hopes for respite and release, but the air was hot and dry, as parched as his soul. _No, there will be no storm this day. _He listened distantly, trying to place the stuttering rhythm that echoed from somewhere upstream. _Is someone skipping stones? Ah... how foolish... for that you need water. _

Resignedly, he drifted, but at the last moment, he realized that he _knew_ the sound. _Footsteps... coming closer. _His final, fleeting thought was one of desperate anticipation. Perhaps at long last, his heart was returning to him.

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for March 2010—Tangle. Posted on March 23, 2010. 300 words.


	5. Sea Cave

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who cannot make herself heard. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 5: Sea Cave**

Chihiro climbed over a sandy berm and found herself on a curving beach.

"Up-coast," Kodama's voice prompted. "It's well-marked."

Shading her eyes with one hand, she squinting up the rocky coastline. Spying a shadowy overhang in the bluff, she hurried towards the cave entrance. "A shrine?"

"This place is both revered and feared," the tree spirit confirmed.

Gathering her courage, Chihiro ducked under the heavy, braided cord from which white paper streamers fluttered. As she stole deeper into the shadows, she thought there was something familiar about the way the wind toyed with her hair and lifted her skirt as it whispered past. "This reminds me of the passage to the Spirit World," she murmured.

"Naturally," was Kodama's bored response.

Chihiro cradled the pine cone to her chest and pressed onward, finally stopping when she couldn't see her next step. "Is it much further?"

"Hmm... you walked right past him."

"Wha–?" Chihiro whirled and peered through the indistinct light filtering from the entrance.

"People usually only see a pile of stones," Kodama remarked.

"That's all _I_ see."

"Try using your _other_ senses," urged the tree spirit.

Tentatively reaching out for the nearest jumble of rocks, Chihiro's fingertips met smooth scales, and she gasped. Closing her eyes, she pressed her hand more firmly against cool skin and worked her way up until her fingers became tangled in a luxuriant mane. "H-haku?" she called, soft and urgent. Getting no response from the recumbent dragon, she found his face and pressed her forehead to his. Tears falling, she murmured, "Haku, it's _me_... Chihiro. Why won't you wake up?"

"I'm afraid he cannot hear you any more than you can see him."

"But _why_! What can I _do_?" she begged brokenly.

After a helpless pause, Kodama sighed and suggested, "Wait for rain?"

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for March 2010—Tangle. Posted on March 28, 2010. 298 words.


	6. Kernels of Truth

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's lost her appetite. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 6: Kernels of Truth**

"I feel terrible," Chihiro mumbled around her thermometer.

"Foolish child!" snipped Kodama. "What do you expect, staying out all night?"

After failing to rouse Haku, she'd refused to leave the shore; old Gen-jiji found her huddled on the beach at sunrise, chilled to the bone and dew-damp.

Obachan stumped into the room with a tray and _tsk_-ed at the thermometer's reading. "A fever, and no wonder! Eat!" she bossed. While Chihiro poked disconsolately at thick porridge, the auntie fussed around the room. Eying the as-yet-uneaten breakfast, she shook a finger. "Take a bite, girl! It won't eat itself!"

When Obachan left, Kodama chimed in, "She is right."

"I'm not hungry," Chihiro sighed.

"If you waste away before the next rain, you will miss seeing your dragon."

Obachan returned, placing two books and a glass of juice on the bedside table. She scrutinized Chihiro's face and announced, "You've obviously cried yourself out; now you'll sleep yourself out."

"But... the store!"

"You're not leaving this bed until I say so," the shopkeeper declared firmly. "I've managed for years; don't think I can't hold my own."

Chihiro yielded with a soft, "Yes, ma'am."

Left to herself again, she idly reached for one of the books, which proved to be a collection of folk tales. Kodama cleared her throat and was brought back out into the open; seeing the thick tome, the tree spirit inquired. "How much do you know about dragons, child?"

"Not much... and these are just stories." She flipped through pages, finding an etching of a dragon-like sea monster looming over a group of cowering men and the girl who must have been a sacrifice to appease its stormy wrath.

"There is a kernel of truth in the wildest of tales."

Chihiro nibbled at her breakfast as she began to read.

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for April 2010—Yielding. Posted on April 15, 2010. 300 words.


	7. Mark My Words

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's the object of much speculation. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 7: Mark My Words**

Back downstairs in the shop, Gen-jiji looked up from the mug of tea that was warming his hands, easing the aches in old joints. "Which one of our young men's put her in such a state?" he asked, as eager for gossip as he was concerned for Chihiro.

Obachan clucked her tongue and puttered with a heap of green onions, sorting the yield into bunches. "No one's been coming 'round."

The fisherman frowned thoughtfully. "A letter maybe?"

"She's had no mail," the shopkeeper said with authority. "I'm sure her mother would've mentioned a beau."

"_Someone_ broke her heart," Gen-jiji grumbled. "You shoulda seen her down there—shivering and sniffling and looking at me with those great mournful eyes."

"Aye, she's all the symptoms—no appetite, staring into space, sighing."

"All the sudden?" he inquired.

"Out of the blue!" Obachan confirmed, moving to pick over a bushel of beans.

The old man slapped his knee and exclaimed, "Love at first sight!"

Obachan snorted and asked, "With _who_? I've always known you're a crazy fool, but I never took you for a romantic fool."

Ignoring the jibe, the fisherman rambled on. "Maybe the gods will comfort her. She spent a night giving tears to the sea; her offering will be returned, measure for measure."

The old woman harrumphed and asked, "Where'd you ever get such a notion?"

"I hear stuff... _know_ stuff," Gen-jiji sagely insisted. "That girl's a good omen. Mark my words! Before the week's out, there'll be rain."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for April 2010—Yielding. Posted on April 21, 2010. 246 words.


	8. Squall

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who runs all the way. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 8: Squall**

"Chihiro... outside!"

"Wait a minute," she whispered to the pine cone in her pocket. "I need to finish these peaches."

"But..."

Just then, a gust of wind slammed into the building, rattling the sliding door in its track. Chihiro exchanged a startled glance with Obachan, who shuffled to the window to peer out towards the sea. Moment later, Gen-jiji hustled into the shop, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Didn't I say it?" he gloated. "It's blowing up a storm!"

Chihiro slipped out the door to see the smudged horizon for herself. "_Rain_," she breathed.

The fisherman joined her. "Yup. Another hour and it'll be upon us... answering your call."

She nodded dumbly, and then Obachan announced, "We'll close up early. Gather everything in, Chihiro!"

By the time her auntie was satisfied, the first heavy drops were spattering the dusty road, hissing on hot pavement. A heartbeat later, Chihiro was out the door, tearing towards the cove. She passed a few fisherman near the docks, but the beach was otherwise abandoned. Rain fell in heavy curtains now, drenching her as she pelted towards the sea cave. She ducked inside, and wind rushed around her, wailing hollowly in its urgency to join the tempest. However, in the cave's depths, her questing hands came up empty. "I can't find him! Where is he, Kodama?"

"The riverbed is already drenched; Haku-sama has taken to the skies." Back outside, Chihiro blinked rain from her eyes. Restless waves pounced the shore, exploding into spray at her feet as she searched for some sign of her friend. "There!" Kodama exclaimed.

And she saw him—a white twist against the darkness, rising in a looping dance. "Haku!" she screamed, but her voice felt so small. Chihiro yielded to emotion, sinking to her knees in the sand, laughter mingling with tears.

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for April 2010—Yielding. Posted on April 22, 2010. 300 words.


	9. Rising Dragon

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's been waiting. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 9: Rising Dragon**

The squall was over as quickly as it had begun. Chihiro's drenched sundress clung to her skin, and glittering droplets traveled along the tangled strands of her hair, catching the sun like amber beads before they yielded to gravity, falling to the sand. Above, the dragon corkscrewed through a daring climb, then twisted around on himself to drop towards the sea. When he sliced into the deep, silver fishes leapt from the water, scattering in every direction, fleeing before the predator.

_Don't leave. I want to see you!_ she plead silently. With a glance over her shoulder, Chihiro made certain she stood between him and his cave. _I've been waiting __so__ long! _Seconds piled up while she anxiously searched for some sign of her dragon friend. As her hopes were chased by uncertainties, she edged forward until the brine swirled around her knees. "Haku, where _are_ you?" she begged the empty expanse.

Then, something broke the surface; she clasped her hands together, squinting as the angling sun glinted across the water. Her breath caught as a human figure rose from amidst the bucking waves and walked steadily towards her. His white clothes fit her memories, as did his jaw-length, jet-black hair, but Haku had also grown up. The young man who stopped directly in front of her had sharp cheekbones and slanted eyes that hinted at his true nature. Slim, graceful, and strikingly handsome—he was studying her just as closely. Chihiro was startled to realize that he wasn't wet, and she self-consciously pushed her bedraggled hair away from her face, suddenly feeling ten years old and tongue-tied.

With a faint smile that fairly danced in his deep green eyes, Haku broke the awkward silence. "Chihiro," he greeted softly, holding out his hand in invitation. "I hoped it would be you."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for April 2010—Yielding. Posted on April 29, 2010. 300 words.


	10. A Thousand Apologies

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's been waiting. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 10: A Thousand Apologies**

Chihiro shyly placed her hand into his and asked, "You heard me? I _tried_ to wake you!"

Haku shook his head a little sadly. "I'm sorry, I didn't... but I had a feeling the time had come."

"For what... the rain?"

The dragon hesitated, then murmured, "It no longer matters, Chihiro. My river is no more, and the consequences you have seen for yourself."

"Couldn't you find another one?"

"Rivers _have_ guardians," he gently replied. "That is the way of things."

Dread pooled in her stomach, weighing down her soaring hopes. "What happens next?"

"I will sleep," he answered honestly. "Until the next storm, and the next."

Her lip trembled, and she murmured a willful, "No!"

With a sweetly nostalgic smile, the dragon drew her into his arms. "If I _could_ forge a new place for myself, I would."

He was warm, and the still-damp young woman leaned into his embrace, numb through-and-through. _Surely there's __something__ I can do!_

"I wish matters were different, but I cannot offer you your rightful place because _I_ have none."

She shook her head. "Haku, I don't understand."

"That is probably for the best," he sighed. "I'm so sorry, Chihiro."

"Pardon me," interrupted Kodama sharply. Haku's gaze sharpened as Chihiro lifted Kodama's pine cone. The tree spirit announced, "Sun is upon stone; time is short!"

"What?" Chihiro gasped in dismay.

Her friend gazed inland. "She's right; I _am_ sorry."

"But... I only just found you again!"

"You'll be fine, Chihiro," he soothed. "You've always been brave."

_How many times have I looked at him through tears?_ she wondered as emotions welled up and spilled over. Haku took her outburst in stride, petting her hair while she sniffled against his shoulder. And all the while, he whispered apologies that sounded like regrets.

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for May 2010—Willful. Posted on May 6, 2010. 297 words.


	11. Courageous Heart

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's full of confidence. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 11: Courageous Heart**

Chihiro might have spent the night on the shore again, but Gen-jiji found her and brought her home. He didn't scold; in fact, he thanked her. "You're a favorable wind. Didn't I say you'd bring back the rains?"

"Why would you think that?" she inquired dubiously.

"A maiden's tears are a noble sacrifice," the old fisherman replied, clumsily patting her hand. "Don't you worry; the sea will honor them."

* * *

The next day, Chihiro raced along the bluff road. Kodama's pine cone was all well and good, but some things needed to be said face to face. Reaching the small shrine at the base of the lone pine, she took the time to kneel and place a bun from breakfast before it. _It's not much, but I was in a hurry. Something nicer next time,_ she silently promised.

"What pretty manners you have," Kodama smiled, stepping out from behind her tree's thick trunk. "For most, familiarity breeds contempt."

Chihiro floundered for something to say, but came up empty. Standing quickly, she bowed to the forest guardian in the elegant green kimono and asked, "What am I going to do?"

Kodama's lips quirked mischievously. "What makes you think you can _do_ anything?"

Her chin lifted and a willful light gleamed in her eyes. "There _must_ be something! I _won't_ give up on Haku!"

"No?"

"No!"

"Hmm... well-spoken," Kodama declared archly. "Haku-sama said you were brave. Have you outgrown the courage he remembers?"

Chihiro adamantly shook her head. "I'll do anything!"

"Go anywhere?"

"Of course!"

The tree spirit gazed at her thoughtfully. "The dragon was correct; he cannot forge a new place for himself. However, it's possible—only _possible_, mind you—that you could do it for him."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for May 2010—Willful. Posted on May 31, 2010. 300 words.


	12. Drastic Measures

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who has all the answers. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 12: Drastic Measures**

"Tell me what to do, and I'll do it!" Chihiro boldly promised.

"I would if I could, child," Kodama sighed. "Haku-sama's river flowed through my forest, and I will honor him still for the place he once held in its midst. However, a tree is a tree and a guardian is a guardian. What _you_ need is a god."

"I don't know any gods."

"Yes, you do," Kodama patiently corrected. "And _he_ is the one you must ask for advice."

Chihiro slowly shook her head. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"How could you forget him?" the tree spirit asked in scandalized tones. "You did him a great service when he came to the bathhouse; he even left you a token of his gratitude."

"The river god!" Chihiro gasped, suddenly remembering him... and his stench. It made a strange sort of sense, going to a river god to find help for a river guardian. "How can I find him?"

"You are not completely cut off from the Spirit Word," said Kodama, eyeing the purple tie in the young woman's hair. "You can still see many things that others cannot. Indeed, you are special."

"Because I was spirited away?"

"That, too," agreed the tree spirit with a secret little smile. "To gain an audience with a god, you'll need to do something drastic."

Chihiro clasped her hands before her heart and listened with all her might. "Please just tell me, Kodama... not-knowing is making me nervous!"

"Only those who are not where they belong can stumble onto the path that takes them where they should not be."

"So, to get back into the Spirit World...?"

"You'll need to run away."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for June 2010—Token. Posted on June 1, 2010. 300 words.


	13. The Truth About Dragons

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's getting to the heart of the matter. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Truth About Dragons**

Chihiro didn't want to worry Obachan, so she waited until the weekend to run away, telling the old woman that she was taking the train home for a short visit. Stashing a few token necessities into a pack, she slipped down to the shore.

Inside the sea cave, she pushed past playful air currents until she found Haku's resting place, then buried her face in his thick mane. "I'm going to rescue you, Haku," she promised. "I have a plan... sort of." She memorized the long lines of his face with her fingertips, awed by the silkiness of the fine hair covering the dragon's muzzle. Finally, she placed a soft kiss on his forehead and whispered, "I'll try not to make you wait much longer."

Returning to the cave's mouth, Chihiro gazed up and down the empty shore. "Which way, Kodama?"

"Follow the empty riverbed into my wood," ordered the tree spirit.

Putting the sea at her back, she trudged inland and was soon swallowed by the forest. "How far?"

"A ways," Kodama replied vaguely. At length, she interrupted the silence. "Haku-sama told you to forge a place for yourself."

"I know."

"Would you like that place to be at his side?"

Chihiro laughed. "Is that even possible?"

"It is your rightful place," Kodama announced.

The young woman stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"You are his heart."

"And... what does _that_ mean?"

"Think for a moment, woman!" scolded the tree spirit. "Why do you suppose a dragon might need to take human form?"

With a sigh, she ventured, "It's a whole lot easier to talk?"

Kodama's laughter rippled from the pine cone. "I'll grant you that," she eventually managed, sounding thoroughly amused. "However, there is _another_ consideration."

Chihiro resumed her solitary trek. "What?"

"Dragonlings do not drop from branches."

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for June 2010—Token. Posted on June 11, 2010. 300 words.


	14. Clarification

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who's learning a thing or two about dragons. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Clarification**

Chihiro sat heavily on a log and murmured, "Say that again, please?"

"You are Haku-sama's heart," Kodama patiently repeated.

"Are you trying to say that he _loves_ me?"

The tree spirit _tsk_-ed and said, "Changing the words around won't change what has been set into motion. Dragons are rare creatures in part because they do not often take mates. Usually, they will catch sight of a human woman of uncommon beauty and lose their heart," Kodama explained. "Obviously, this was _not_ the case with you."

Chihiro squirmed uncomfortably. "I'm nothing special."

"Hmm... there's no accounting for tastes. In any event," Kodama crisply continued. "The village whose maiden became a dragon's heart would be called upon to surrender her to the sea, and a wedding procession would be made to the shore. There, the dragon would claim his bride and carry her off to the home he prepared. In token of the people's sacrifice, his favor would rest upon them. The land would know great bounty, and the dragon's daughters would become brides for their most worthy young men."

"And what about a dragon's sons?" Chihiro asked, intrigued.

"They would take to the skies like their sire, of course," Kodama explained. "Often, the firstborn son becomes the guardian spirit of his mother's home village, guaranteeing its future prosperity for her sake... and for his sisters'."

"It sounds like a fairy tale."

The tree spirit dryly said, "Oh, it is real enough, child... _especially_ for you. If you can free Haku-sama, he will undoubtedly ask you to take your rightful place at his side. You will become the dragon's bride, and these lands shall know his joy."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for June 2010—Token. Posted on June 18, 2010. 275 words.


	15. The Source of All Rivers

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who appeals to an ancient deity. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 15: The Source of All Rivers**

Kodama directed Chihiro deep into the wood, and just as the sun was setting, the tree spirit urged her to pass through a tunnel formed by bramble thickets. As she eased past catching thorns, playful winds whipped at her skirt and tossed her hair against her flushed face. "Feels familiar," she murmured.

"It should. This is a passage into the Spirit World," Kodama revealed. "Now, follow the sound of running water." Chihiro did so and soon stumbled upon a broad stream. In the half-light, the water glowed, creating a luminous path between ancient-looking trees of enormous girth.

Before long, they entered a clearing; at its center, a spring burbled up between mossy stones, flowing away in several directions. Beside it, an old man took his ease, sipping from a shallow cup as he gazed towards the stars. "E-excuse me?" ventured Chihiro softly.

He turned to blink at her, then smiled toothily. "I rarely receive visitors, but you are welcome. Come and sit," he offered graciously.

Chihiro tentatively knelt before him and answered in token. "Thank you."

"What brings the two of you here?" the river god asked, including the pine cone in his inquiry.

"My friend Haku," Chihiro replied earnestly. "He's guardian of the Kohaku River."

"Ah," the old man sighed, nodding sadly.

"I want to help him!"

"Oh?"

"Do you know what to do?" she asked urgently.

"Hmm."

Kodama cleared her throat and announced, "This woman is Haku-sama's heart. Her success would bring a dragon's blessings to the land once more."

"True, true," he mused aloud, dark eyes fixed upon Chihiro's face. "A kind-hearted child, now a brave-hearted woman. It _would_ be a shame to leave things as they are."

"Does that mean you can help him?" she exclaimed.

"No... but I can help you, and that should suffice."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for June 2010—Token. Posted on June 30, 2010. 300 words.


	16. Headwaters

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who has been given a singular honor. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Headwaters**

The wizened old deity beamed at Chihiro as he explained, "A river may die, but a river may also be born. I have a few set aside for special occasions." He gazed into the rippling pool of shining water, humming to himself. "Yes, this one should do nicely; I will make a present of it."

"That is most generous!" Kodama interjected when Chihiro failed to answer. "_Is it not_, child?"

"I'm sorry, but... what are you giving me?" she asked in confusion.

"A new source," the river god announced with delight. "There is a sealed spring which can become the headwaters of a river. I give _it—_and the honor of naming it—to _you_, dragon's heart."

"Does that mean Haku can become its guardian?"

"You understand aright!" the old one said approvingly. "The spring waits just beyond the path Kohaku once followed. Call to the river, and it will rise; give it a name, and it shall become what your dragon needs. Encourage the waters to pour onto his dry stones, and they will sustain one another."

"That's all?" Chihiro asked cautiously.

The river god's gap-toothed grin was accompanied by wheezy laughter. "You have already accomplished what many a mortal would call impossible."

Blinking in surprise, the young woman curled her hand around Kodama's pine cone and smiled. "I suppose I have... thanks to both of you."

He waved off her gratitude. "When the dragon's joy is complete, we shall be repaid many times over."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for July 2010—Shine. Posted on July 16, 2010. 244 words.


	17. A Dry and Thirsty Land

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who is splitting hairs. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 17: A Dry and Thirsty Land**

Chihiro found a scrap of shadow under a tufty shrub and crawled into it, flopping onto her back with a weary groan. "It's hot," she complained, pushing aside messy hair with a grimy hand.

"Rest until the sun shines with less force," the tree spirit advised.

Crossing her arms over her eyes, the young woman mumbled, "M'thirsty."

"You will have all the water you could wish for once that seal is broken."

"M'_trying_," she sighed.

"Yes, you are," Kodama allowed with less asperity. "You should complete the trench before nightfall, but I believe you should wait until dawn before you birth the river."

A soft snore was Chihiro's only reply.

* * *

The following morning, Chihiro dropped to a seat on the dusty riverbank. _Never assume that a gift from a god will be easy to open. _For two whole days, she'd used a combination of flat stones and sharpened branches to plow a narrow trench through dry-packed earth. "Do you think it's enough?"

"To point the way, yes," Kodama declared with authority. "Let the river carve its own path from here on."

"Gladly."

* * *

Adjusting her grip on a stout branch, Chihiro drove the end between the stones that covered her spring and leaned. Nothing budged. "Break the seal and bestow a name," she recited grimly. "_Not_ as easy as it sounds."

"Hmm... very true. Why do you go so far for Haku-sama?" the tree spirit inquired.

"He's a good friend. Haku saved my life."

"Oh? That's not what I heard," Kodama countered. "_You_ saved _his_, and it was love that loosed his bonds."

"I was a child, and I loved him the way a child does... wholeheartedly," Chihiro declared matter-of-factly.

"So it is a pure love?" the tree spirit inquired sweetly.

"Exactly."

Kodama laughed merrily. "Some would call that _true_ love."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for July 2010—Shine. Posted on July 17, 2010. 300 words.


	18. The Power of a Name

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who succeeds. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Power of a Name**

With a long, agonized cry like a woman in labor, Chihiro fought to widen the crevice between a hefty boulder and its setting of smaller stones. For a fleeting eternity, nothing happened, but then her lever shifted, the wood groaned, and the stillness of the forest was rent by a thunderous _crack_. Losing her balance, she pitched backwards in an undignified heap of scrapes, skirts, and sweat. _Ow! _Close to tears, she pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes and waited for Kodama's snide remark.

Instead, coldness lapped against her legs. Scrambling quickly to her feet, Chihiro gawked at the sluggish track of water welling from the gap she'd created. "Can _that_ really become a river?"

The tree spirit's longsuffering sigh carried through loud and clear. "You would be wise to step back, child."

Suddenly, the earth rumbled, and Chihiro nearly lost her footing again. The urgent stream pushed aside more stones, sending them tumbling as it rapidly widened the mouth of the spring. Underground water eagerly surged into the sunshine, babbling with joy over its newfound freedom. Gasping, she whirled to see what path it would choose; to her delight, the water slopped into the trench she'd painstakingly dug. It was definitely channeling the overflow towards the waiting riverbed. "It's working!" she exulted.

Dropping to her knees in the midst of the flow, Chihiro scooped water to bathe her face and soothe her throat. Clear. Sweet. Glorious!

Kodama's voice rose urgently over the noisy splashing. "The _name_, silly girl! Give the river its name!"

Surrounded by the rising tumult, Chihiro flung her arms wide, her heart and mind firmly fixed on the one she'd come to save. "Kohaku!" she confidently shouted, gladly fulfilling the last of the river god's directives. "You are the Kohaku River!"

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for July 2010—Shine. Posted on July 18, 2010. 298 words.


	19. Heart's Call

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who wakes. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Heart's Call**

In his lonely cave, the first trickles of spring water crept into the dreams of a sleeping dragon. Brilliant blue stretched invitingly overhead, but Haku lingered inside his prison. _I must wait for rain. _Gulls wheeled overhead, waves shushed upon the sand, and he looked on wistfully. Then, a child appeared in that shining place where shore, sea, and sky meet—a girl with stubbornness in her jaw, wonder in her eyes, and courage in her choices. _Chihiro_.

She approached, changing moment by moment, becoming a woman touched by magic, graced by curves, and marked by kindness. The dragon's claws scraped against stone, and he restlessly tossed his mane. _Closer! I cannot reach you! _He willed her to understand, however, she stopped just beyond the cave mouth. Her cheeks were wet, and Haku ached to draw her into his arms and soothe her sadness away... with kisses if she'd let him.

Holding out a hand, Chihiro said, "Come to me."

Obeying the call of his heart, the dragon glided forward, smoothly transforming into a man. He caught her hand, and she stepped willingly into his embrace.

"Listen," she murmured. "Can you hear it?"

Bemusedly shaking his head, Haku tenderly brushed his thumb over the tear-tracks on her cheek, then traced the bow of her upper lip. Compulsion sang through his blood, narrowing his focus. _Kiss her. Claim her. Keep her._

As he lowered his head, she pushed up onto tiptoe, and her words just grazed his questing mouth. "Come to me," she whispered.

Haku woke with a start, the rush of _his_ river filling his ears. It was _impossible,_ yet, it was definitely real. The whys and wherefores had yet to be discovered, but three things were sure. He was free... Chihiro was somehow responsible... and she wanted to see him.

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for July 2010—Shine. Posted on July 19, 2010. 300 words.


	20. Display

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who has a long walk ahead of her. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Display**

The walk back to the sea was more pleasant with a river for company, and Chihiro frequently stopped to dip her fingers into the rising water. "Will it fill the banks again?"

"It would not surprise me," the tree spirit opined. "The river god was quite taken with you, so he will be generous."

Suddenly, Chihiro became aware of a rushing, roaring noise coming from somewhere downstream. As the water at her feet swirled and chattered excitedly, she whispered, "What's going on?"

"Take a wild guess," Kodama replied in a dry voice.

From around the next bend, a dragon exploded into view, seemingly carried on a foaming wave and scattering rainbow droplets in every direction. Chihiro gasped as Haku veered up and away, twisting through a backwards somersault in order to avoid a collision. As he whirled through a dizzying dance overhead, she giggled softly and said, "He looks happy... I'm _so_ glad!"

"Hmm... an impressive display," the tree spirit replied. "Are you prepared to accept his gratitude?"

"He doesn't need to thank me," Chihiro demurred.

"If he is any kind of dragon, he will definitely _want_ to."

Haku swooped to a landing several paces away and proudly arched his neck as if to say, _Look at me! _He shook out his vivid mane, sending his two long whiskers rippling on either side of his long muzzle, and Chihiro was dazed to realize that just as his human form had matured, Haku's dragon self had grown larger. Only when the faint scratch of talons on the rocky ground betrayed his impatience did she realize she was unabashedly staring at the magnificent creature.

When he dipped his head, Kodama grumbled, "How much _more_ of an invitation do you need, child?"

With a glad cry, Chihiro hurried forward, arms outstretched.

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for August 2010—Dazed. Posted on August 3, 2010. 298 words.


	21. Frolic

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one whose curiosity is roused. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Frolic**

Chihiro threw her arms around the dragon's neck. "Haku, your river is back!"

"She appealed directly to the river god," Kodama casually remarked. "_And_ broke the seal on your new headwaters."

"Oh, hush," Chihiro mumbled, not wanting to boast.

"I will _not_," the tree spirit countered. "Haku-sama has a right to know what you dared for his sake."

The dragon curled around her until she was surrounded, and the young woman was soon confronted by a pair of glittering green eyes. Chihiro gently brushed Haku's fine, snowy fur, and when he arched into her touch, she stroked with increasing confidence. He insistently bumped her shoulder, and she faced him fully, impulsively reaching up to hug his long muzzle. "You're really here!" she mumbled as she rested her forehead against his. "I missed you _so much_!" A low hum rumbled from the dragon's throat, which ended in a delighted sigh when she thrust her hands into his silky green mane.

"Dragons are said to be _quite_ ticklish," Kodama remarked offhandedly.

"Really?" the young woman inquired. Haku made a chuffing noise that might have been a reprimand or possibly denial, but Chihiro's curiosity was piqued. As her fingertips cautiously explored the supple scales that lined Haku's underbelly, he squirmed and shuddered, and she realized dazedly that the tree spirit was absolutely right.

"_See_?" Kodama interjected smugly.

At the dragon's grunt of protest, Chihiro giggled and whispered, "Sorry." After several moments, Haku gave her a gentle nudge and crouched encouragingly. "Get on?" she guessed. The dragon looked pointedly upwards, and she delightedly asked, "Can we?"

Intelligent eyes laughed at her, and Haku dipped his head. Grasping one of his elegant horns, Chihiro pulled herself up and lay low, clinging tightly as the dragon sprang into the endless blue of the sky.

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for August 2010—Dazed. Posted on August 5, 2010. 297 words.


	22. Cradling Coils

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who likes attention. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Cradling Coils**

He flew far out over the sea where none could follow and, finding some clouds, carried his heart up and over a whimsical landscape of billowing white. Sun and sky. Laughter and light. On their return journey, the dragon skimmed low over a sunset-colored sea, then followed his river inland, not stopping until they reached its beginnings. As twilight deepened, Haku rested beside his new headwaters, Chihiro tucked close against his side. Although he _could_ have changed into a man, the dragon hesitated... in part because he suspected that the young woman would no longer cuddle up to him. He craved her touch almost as much as her smiles.

Night fell, and once she was deeply asleep, Haku gently shifted around her until he was once again a man. Chihiro leaned into his embrace, her ear still pressed over his heart, and he wondered if she could tell how much faster it was beating. Under starry skies, he held her close and hoped.

A prim voice brought out of his daze of contentment. "Do not fear, Haku-sama; your heart will return to you. However, you cannot take without asking."

He'd nearly forgotten the pine cone on its string, still hanging from Chihiro's neck. "I can ask nothing of one who sleeps," he replied, a reprimand edging his tone.

Kodama hummed doubtfully. "This girl may have run away, but she is not without a home. Do this in the proper way, and these lands will know your joy."

"Including your woods, tree spirit?"

"I cannot deny it," she smoothly agreed. "But there are other reasons as well."

"Oh?"

"I would like to see her happiness."

"Why?"

"Have you not noticed, dragon? She is actually quite lovely when she smiles." With a smug lilt, Kodama added, "Her joy may just outshine yours."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for August 2010—Dazed. Posted on August 6, 2010. 300 words.


	23. A Gentle Expression

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who has the best of intentions. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 23: A Gentle Expression**

Birdsong heralded the morning, and Haku waited with bated breath as Chihiro stirred, lashes fluttering. All night, he'd searched for a way to tell the young woman that he wanted her... _needed_ her... but he wasn't sure how to explain the workings of a dragon's heart. He had no reason to think she'd reject him, but he had no reason to believe she'd accept him either. There was so much he didn't know about the young woman in his arms.

Chihiro made a soft sound and stretched, forcing Haku to tighten his grasp lest he drop her. Brown eyes flew open, and she blinked dazedly at him for a moment. He held very still and hoped he didn't look as guilty as he felt. Then, she tilted her head to one side as if trying to place him. _Have I changed so much? _He supposed he must have, for she certainly had. "Good morning," he greeted in a soft voice, offering a tentative smile. Her lips curved upwards in answer, and Haku impulsively stole a kiss—swift, soft, and sweet.

Upon seeing Chihiro's startled expression, the dragon regretted his haste. With the best of intentions, he tried to put it back... but only succeeded in stealing another.

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for August 2010—Dazed. Posted on August 11, 2010. 206 words.


	24. Following His Heart

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who finally makes himself clear. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Following His Heart**

Haku was at a loss as to how to proceed, but Chihiro simplified matters by shyly returning his kiss. A measure of balance thus restored, he lingered in a contented daze, watching the changing emotions reflected in her eyes. Eventually, he recalled that as a man, he could speak... and there were many things to say. "Chihiro, you are my heart," he announced.

"What does that mean?"

Tightening his embrace, he answered, "It means that this is where you belong."

"Are you proposing?" she asked cautiously.

"Haku-sama, it _truly_ is a poor job if the girl cannot grasp _that_ much," dryly remarked Kodama.

Ignoring the tree spirit's jibe, he explained, "A dragon's heart chooses the one with which it will dwell, and a dragon _must_ follow his heart." Kodama snorted softly, and Haku spared her pine cone a haughty glance. With gentle formality, he added, "_Yes_, Chihiro. Traditionally, the one who holds a dragon's heart becomes that dragon's bride."

"Traditionally?"

"That is how it _should_ be," he tentatively answered.

"Not every young woman who has captured a dragon's heart wished to wed a _monster_," Kodama interjected, giving the last word a sarcastic twist. "In spite of the incentives, history is rife with tragedy."

"Haku isn't a monster!" she protested indignantly.

"Your attitude bodes well for both Haku-sama and your village," opined the tree spirit smugly.

"I will return you to your people," declared the dragon. "When all is in readiness, I will return for you. How long do you need to prepare?"

"How long would I be gone?" Chihiro asked.

"You will need to say goodbye," he admitted. For several tense moments, she considered his proposal, and for Haku, it was an eternity.

"Is a month too much to ask?"

"Not if you are the one asking," he replied warmly.

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for August 2010—Dazed. Posted on August 28, 2010. 300 words.


	25. Invoking Tradition

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who entrusts his future bride to another. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 25: Invoking Tradition**

When they reached the shore, Chihiro spotted Gen-jiji on the beach. The old fisherman noticed the pair and stumped towards them, urgently calling, "That you, Chihiro?"

"Yes!"

"Your folks called... asking after you... put your Obachan in a fit state. She sent me looking!" Eying her companion suspiciously, he gruffly chided, "'Tain't proper to run off like that."

Haku's chin came up, his green eyes flashing. "This _maiden _has been chosen," he announced in regal tones. Guiding Chihiro to the elderly fisherman's side, he continued, "I will return for my bride in a month's time."

"You will, will you?" muttered Gen-jiji.

"In exchange for your sacrifice, these lands shall know this dragon's joy."

A dazed expression overtook his wrinkled face. "D-dragon?" he stammered. Turning to the young woman he querulously asked, "Chihiro, what's he saying?"

"Haku is this river's guardian."

Cogs turned with increasing speed in the old man's brain. "The river's back... and you're back... and he's coming back," he muttered. Glancing between the two of them, he said, "I _know_ the old stories. You're asking us to return her to the sea?"

"Yes."

A gap-toothed grin spread over Gen-jiji's face, and he bowed as low as his creaking bones permitted. "We are honored... and I'll keep her safe for ya, Dragon-sama." With a nod, Haku stepped back and transformed; as he took to the sky, the old fisherman gawked and exclaimed, "That's him! That's our dragon!"

Chihiro giggled and asked, "Could we keep this a secret?"

"Eh? Oh... well, sure." With a rusty chuckle, Gen-jiji added, "No one'd believe me anyhow."

"Thank you," she murmured as he protectively tucked her arm through his.

Giving her hand a pat, he said, "I knew you were something special, Chihiro. Now, let's get you to Obachan afore she flies to pieces."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for August 2010—Dazed. Posted on August 28, 2010. 300 words.


	26. Waiting for Someday

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who is preparing for the future. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Waiting for Someday**

A week later, Chihiro went home for a short visit. Though she needed to say goodbye, she wasn't sure how to explain her upcoming elopement. Neither of her parents remembered their experience from a decade ago, and she doubted they would understand if she told them she'd fallen in love with a dragon she'd met when she was ten. _Oh._

"Mama... I'm in love."

"Since when?" her mother asked in surprise.

"I just realized it now," she replied honestly. "I thought you should know."

The woman shook her head in fond exasperation. "Isn't this rather sudden?"

"No," Chihiro mused aloud. "It's been there all along... like the soot balls... keeping me company."

* * *

When Chihiro returned to the sea, the first thing she did was climb the bluff to visit Kodama. "I missed you," she shyly confessed. "The pine cone didn't work while I was away."

The tree spirit gently brushed it with her fingertips. "This little one has served us well. Do me a favor?"

"Anything!"

"Plant him beside your new home; he will stand guard over it... and give me an excuse to visit."

"You would do that?"

"Perhaps," Kodama coyly replied. "If you invited me, I might even accompany you to Yubaba's. A dragon's bride would surely grace her bathhouse with prosperity."

"Really? When?" Chihiro eagerly asked.

"Someday soon."

* * *

Chihiro's days settled into their old pattern—scrubbing vegetables, sweeping floors, washing windows. If it weren't for the elegant silk kimono hanging in Obachan's bedroom, the bride-to-be would have thought she'd dreamed up Haku, his proposal, and his promise to return for her. "What do you think he's doing?" Chihiro asked wistfully.

"He is preparing a place for you," patiently replied the tree spirit.

"I wonder what it will be like."

Kodama smiled indulgently, but only said, "Wait and see."

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for September 2010—Surprise. Posted on September 22, 2010. 300 words.


	27. Procession to the Sea

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who only has eyes for one person. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 27: Procession to the Sea**

On the appointed day, a strange procession moved through the tiny fishing village—an old fisherman holding a wide, red parasol, the elderly shopkeeper in her best kimono, and a slim young woman whose attire rivaled that of a storybook princess. Silk in hues of red and gold caught the light of the setting sun as Chihiro stepped carefully onto the beach.

When they neared the mouth of the Kohaku River, she caught flickers of movement out of the corners of her eyes. The spirit world's denizens were gathering along the banks—tiny sprites, towering shadows, and even a few minor deities. Glancing towards the lone pine tree on the bluff, Chihiro spied the green-clad figure of a woman and smiled softly. _Kodama_. She was glad that so many had come to celebrate, but the one she _really_ wanted to see was Haku. As her dark eyes searched for some sign of her husband-to-be, she remarked, "The sky looks lonesome without clouds."

"You say the strangest things," Obachan replied. However, after a thoughtful pause, her auntie murmured, "Maybe it does."

Gen-jiji's weather eye was trained seaward, so he spotted the dragon first. "There!"

Obachan, who still had her doubts about dragons, gasped in surprise as Haku skimmed towards them over the glittering surface of the water. When he reached the shore, he drew up with an impressive twist, and for several moments, he remained in the gently lapping shallows, haloed by sunlight, head high as his gaze swept the length of the beach. "Am I seein' what I think I'm seein'?" Obachan muttered in an aside.

"Purty, ain't he?" replied Gen-jiji with almost paternal pride.

Then, the dragon's eyes sought Chihiro's face. In a blinding whirl of transformation, Haku stood before them as a man. The groom had come for his bride.

* * *

**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for September 2010—Surprise. Posted on September 22, 2010. 300 words.


	28. Dearly Beloved

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one who has been busy. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Dearly Beloved**

Before Haku could claim his bride, a home had to be readied. On a whim, he appealed to the river god for suggestions, and he was richly rewarded for his consideration. The ancient deity directed him to a place of surprising beauty. Sun and shadow dappled the ferns, and the air was sweet with the scent of lilies. Somehow, he knew Chihiro would love it, so Haku used all the means and magic at his disposal to create a haven for his bride.

* * *

On the last full day before his promised return, Haku penned a short message to Chihiro, then laced it with magic. The paper bird fluttered out the window, bearing simple instructions—where and when. _Tomorrow's sunset cannot come soon enough. _

* * *

The day, the hour, the moment _finally_ first, he couldn't see her, only the crowd of spirits that had gathered along the shore to bear witness. But then, the old fisherman shifted his grip on the parasol, and it tipped back to reveal Chihiro. As soon as Haku's gaze found hers, he knew. All the work, all the waiting—_they were worth it. _

Sunset caressed the curve of her cheek, warming the gold of her skin and adding luster to the smooth sweep of her hair. Her people had adorned her splendidly, and though he was pleased to see her in such finery, it was Chihiro's happiness that snared him. A tiny quirk. A soft dimple. The almost secretive smile reminded him what it was like to touch those lips, and the memory of those gentle kisses sent a thrill through his body, making pristine white fur stand on end. Wanting nothing more than to get closer to the woman who held his heart, Haku stepped forward, crossing the boundary between sea and sand, beast and man.

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for September 2010—Surprise. Posted on September 23, 2010. 300 words.


	29. Whispered Wish

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one whose feelings are apparent. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

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**Chapter 29: Whispered Wish**

Obachan's sharp eyes took in the regally-dressed young man who'd been a dragon moments before. He was extremely handsome, but Gen-jiji had described the dragon-man as stiff and stern... and that worried her. _Our Chihiro deserves more. _

"Here she is, just like I promised, Dragon-sama," the old fisherman pronounced.

Amusement flickered in Haku's green eyes, and Obachan was surprised to see such a human expression on his face. Then, Haku's gaze settled on his bride, and the auntie's fears dissolved. _He's as besotted as she is... and then some. _

* * *

There was very little ceremony to the exchange on the shore, but when Gen-jiji solemnly guided her into Haku's waiting embrace, Chihiro's heart leapt. _Finally!_

Haku leaned close and quietly said, "A demonstration is customary."

"What kind of demonstration?"

His eyes sparkled. "I believe _roaring_ is usually involved, but any display of power will do. Can you suggest something?" Chihiro went up on tiptoe to whisper a word, and his brows lifted in surprise. Tugging her closer, he replied, "That can be arranged."

With one arm wrapped possessively around his bride, Haku brought up his opposite hand, gracefully curved his fingers, then blew across their tips. Magic burst into the air like flower petals, and Chihiro watched in wonder as they scattered. In the next moment, Gen-jiji and Obachan gasped, for it began to rain. Gentle as mist, bright as gold, precious as jewels—the sunshower offered a foretaste of joy to a land that ached for its blessing.

While every eye was lifted towards the rainbows festooning the sky, Haku's lips brushed Chihiro's cheek, and he whispered into her ear. "Don't look back... only forward." And just like that, the only souls remaining on the beach were the elderly couple huddled under a red parasol... for Chihiro had been spirited away.

* * *

**End Notes: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for October 2010—Extreme. Posted on October 3, 2010. 300 words. Many thanks are also offered to Janey-jane, whose FanArt for this story delights my heart. There's a link to **The Girl and the Dragon** on my profile, and be sure to hunt up the other _Spirited Away_ pieces in her gallery. They're beautiful!


	30. Heart and Home

**Disclaimer: **I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this small tale... especially for the one whose courage won the heart of a dragon. A grateful bow is made to Hayao Miyazaki for his many wonderful films, especially _Spirited Away_.

* * *

**Chapter 30: Heart and Home**

Haku carried Chihiro to a whimsical cottage tucked amidst the ferns. In the gloaming, she spied a walk paved with river stones, and lantern-light glowed a welcome from each window. "It's beautiful!"

Gladness suffused his handsome face. "It's for you."

She tilted her head, and the tiny bells in her hair ornament tinkled. "Don't you mean for _us_?"

"For _you_," he repeated gravely, setting her on her feet and taking her hands into his own. "It's traditional."

This wasn't the first time Haku had spoken of tradition; it seemed that dragons lived by lore she'd never learned. Gathering her courage, she asked, "Why would you leave me alone here?"

Haku solemnly explained, "Though a maiden may agree to take her rightful place as a dragon's bride, she may not be ready to fully accept her husband. She is afforded a haven, and the dragon must woo his heart back. My sire spent seven months to court my mother."

Chihiro blinked. "That's extremely considerate... and sweet."

Haku gently released her hands and stepped back. "If there's anything you need..."

Before he could retreat any further, Chihiro caught his trailing sleeve. "Humans have traditions, too," she announced with a stubborn glint in her eyes.

"What do you wish?" he asked, all consternation.

"A kiss."

Shaking his head in wonderment, Haku murmured, "Always so brave."

One kiss lingered, then multiplied, for Chihiro had no intention of letting her husband leave. Resting her hand against his chest, she whispered, "I thought you'd know your heart better than this. Do you _really_ want to leave?"

"Not at all," he admitted huskily.

"Then _stay_," she sweetly offered.

Haku was only too glad to allow Chihiro to draw him across the threshold to their home, for he was a dragon, and a dragon always follows his heart.

* * *

_**And all the land experienced the fullness of his joy.  
**__**- THE END -**_

_**

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**End Note: **This chapter was written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for October 2010—Extreme. Posted on October 3, 2010. 300 words.


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